Technical Wet blasting with a converted syphon pressurized sand blaster

I'm about to embark on a sand blast project & recently viewed some of the u-tube videos using the syphon attachments that are fastened on the end of an existing pressure washer wand, as anyone who has used a syphon blaster knows it can be frustrating poking around a bucket of sand trying to get it to feed. My initial thoughts were since I have a pressurized dry sandblast pot I've used with limited success, why couldn't my compressor pressurized sand blaster be connected to the syphon attachment then to the pressure washer wand hopefully all but eliminating the syphoning issues. Provided a good source for dry filtered sand can be sourced, the sand flow could then be throttled up or down to coordinate with the pressure washer. Has anyone experience with such an endeavor?

 

Always wondered about doing this, keep us updated on how well it works out !

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Welcome any or all input, may try giving it a go, before farming it out.

 

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Interesting idea!

 

There was a recent thread about a system that uses a pressure washer for wet-blasting.
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/wet-blasting.1301185/

I’d like to see what you come up with. I’m always up for saving $$ if something can be made at home.

 

Thanks, good video on the Power Eagle unit, hoping to get by with the least expensive unit with the aid of a pressurized feed as opposed to syphoning method.

 

I've seen the YouTube videos on these and thought of building a hopper to hang and gavity feed but never thought of my pressure pot. I'm interested in how this turns out!

 

I used a wet blaster I got from eBay. It kept clogging then I found there was a piece missing. Once it had all of its parts it worked pretty well. There is no dust like in dry blasting. It also doesn't get a hot. It took a LOT of sand and made a muddy mess but removed most of the rust from my frame. I messed around and it re-rusted some. I finally put it is a citric acid soak . That removed the flash rust & the rust in places I couldn't get to before. Your idea sounds interesting. Having better control of the sand would be good.

 

See the Mike Miller video of the power eagle video as posted on Budget 36's posting, this appears to be only syphon feed & shows detailed views where blasting heavy rust revealed completely clean deeply pitted metal read for fill & priming.

 

I have posted this in the past, look at Pressure assist blasters

 

The t-man drawing is the way my blaster is currently routed, the wet blaster would be as shown with the blue air line & nozzel omitted & feeding off a pressure washer wand.

 

That was taken from an old Yahoo user group, I still get update from time to time.

 

Good schematic Tman, Thanks

 

Had hopes of giving it a go today, but found a broken pressure washer fitting, tried a clamp to block it off to no avail, seem to have a lower blockage in the sand blaster as well, setting idle too long. I did make a syphon connector from some 1/2" rigid copper tube, tee,45degree elbow, & a snap in connector soldered together & ready to test it out. Will source parts & get back on it.

 

Found that my sand blaster fill gasket has deteriorated to the point it will not seal to contain pressure, found the F110DM (ALC) needed gasket on line for $90.00 originally gave $100. for the unit 20 or 30 years ago, the same unit now sells for $900. I think I'll see what I'm able to retro fit, my how times have changed.

 

Gotta be able to find or make a gasket

 

If you have a home depot, tractor supply etc you might see if they have a O-ring that will fit.

If I remember correctly, we replaced the gasket with an O-ring on mine...

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Agree, tried a plumbing spud gasket, real close & works if carefully centered may work with additional bonded circumference. I've an in the tank fuel pump 'o' ring that comes to mind yet to try as well.

 

My local ACE Hardware can order parts for equipment they don't even sell. They still use paper catalogs. CarQuest can search outside their own brands. Just a thought.

 

What kind of load in the washer is needed ?
Also. Can this be blastered on doors etc.
One might hire a washer, get the blaster parts, bought sand and mess arond for hours and get a place filled with sand.
Is it really worth it just do a frame or a body or let a pro do it ?

 

The pressure washer sandblaster attachment simply doesn't work. However a vapor hone is easy to build in a existing blast box.

 

Mine worked well once I had it assembled correctly. If I do it again I will not do it in my driveway and I'll use a large tarp to capture as much sand as I can for reuse. There was no dust, it was much cooler for both the parts & me. That said I prefer blasting in a cabinet and if I can get someone else to do it I will.

 

Take this with a grain of salt, because its only what I think....not proved yet.

I have a HF pressure tank sandblaster. I also have an industrial cabinet that I rebuilt with a siphon feed set up. One of the big problems APPEARS to be supplying too much sand.........actually Black Diamond coal slag. I get the finest size when I buy it at Tractor supply. That makes a difference as the next larger size was problematic. I put plenty of media in the cabinet. That may have been the wrong thing to do. Lately I have put less media in the cabinet and it seems to work better.

Pressure Pot
The pressure pot clogged a lot when I used it. It has a drop for the sand to exit the tank and enter the hose to the nozzle. It APPEARS that the flow here is very important. Too much and it clogs too. Tighten the valve for less flow and it may clog at the valve.
I got another mid-size cabinet and rebuilt it. I made the inside of the cabinet so virtually all media will drop all the way to the bottom of the cabinet instead of part way. I fixed the drop so that it had a curved tube instead of a T. That way there should be more of a siphon effect as the air sweeps by and draws the sand . I think using less sand should cause less chance to clog. I also used a larger valve to control how much sand drops. Larger should also make it less prone to clogging. I finished it and ordered glass bead media to put in it.........but haven't tested it yet because I haven't needed to blast anything lately. It all seems logical to me...........but maybe it won't make any difference.

 

I was going get my body and frame blastred, and was into dip it but I dont dare that, so dust dry or wet dustless.
I can use this system as I know work and rent it over a day ( sand is no issue as in a cabinett ) and not on my land.
Dustless Blasting® - The Future of Surface Preparation®
I has a dry blaster company that is a real pro and I has a 32 5W body and I like blaster full body out an inside.
Or I can use the wet dustless, but will I ruin the car ?
Owner said its no heat in it ( you can blaster doors ) but other tell me that system dont get to rust and my body has surface rust I like to remove.

-So I saw this system, both here and on Instagram but I feelt sceptical use a washer and that work on rust.

So I will sleep on what to do.
Dip is great but people has warn me.
That company say they get all cleaned and its not real 'accid', its 2 system, one remove grease, paint etc and they hard pressuare wash it after, and then another bath to remove rust and that get it also protected for a week.

 

Many of us here in the States have plenty of room to easily do something like this. We live on 5 acres out in the country so mess in not an issue

 

We're talking sand blasting a 32 body outside & on my acreage plot so sand not an issue but will try to recover what I can, depending upon the success of this venture it may well be farmed out, but not until I give it at the very least an honest effort with the needed equipment I have at hand.

 

For me, wet blasting would likely be much more difficult than conventional sand/bead blasting. I really don't want to deal with water permeating and being trapped into inaccessible areas such as seams or weld overlaps. Then there is flash rusting and sludge clean-up. Wet blasting just seems to increase the level of difficulty IMHO.
I have done several complete vehicles and countless other parts and projects with my homemade pressure blaster over the last forty years. I believe I have perfected the process for a small at home operation. Using an old gazebo for containment, a repurposed 60 lb propane tank configured with an air assist media feed, similar to what was depicted earlier and a fresh air supplied face mask, which keeps visibility at a maximum (no steaming up), keeps dust out of your lungs and feeds cool fresh air through your coveralls. Even on a 95 or 100 degree day it is comfortable. I prefer recycled glass for the finish, non panel heat/deformation and speed of rust & paint removal.
Just thought I would throw my thoughts out there even though I have no actual wet blasting experience. Good luck with it!
The closest example to what you are planning would be my Model A coupe which I blasted inside and out over a two day period (6 hr days), including all four fenders. the hood, dash and all other interior garnish pieces.
What I have found to be the absolute most important thing to perfect is an ample dry air supply. I have posted my system before.

 

Thanks A 2 B, I concur with your input, & appreciate any & all comments, since I'm working with race car body shell without a floor, Sub rails, B pillars etc. I'll have very few overlap areas to harbor the wet blast media as the forementioned components will be refit after metal working & proper prime coat.